The present invention relates to a prize game apparatus for picking up or releasing a prize, using plural pairs of pickup arms.
Many prize game apparatuses such as crane game machines designed for a player to win a prize contained in a housing are placed not only in amusement parks, but also at general shops and shopping malls because it is fun to operate those kinds of game apparatuses, and fascinating targets such as popular characters are used as prizes, giving a player incentive to play the game.
Various kinds of goods of different shapes, sizes, and materials are used as prizes in a prize game apparatus. Since a catcher (or a prize pickup device) directly comes in contact with a prize in the prize game apparatus, the shape and other characteristics of the prize greatly affect the chances of obtaining the prize. However, conventional prize game apparatuses are configured to allow only one pattern for the opening/closing action of the pickup arms provided on the catcher, and the probability of winning a prize with the catcher is determined largely depending on the shape of the pickup arms. Accordingly, this type of prize game apparatus has turned out to be monotonous as a game machine.
Therefore, JP-B-7-102253, for example, introduces a prize game apparatus having a catcher equipped with: plural pairs of pickup arms (or claws); a pickup arm drive unit for closing the pairs of pickup arms, each pair independently; a selector for randomly selecting the pair of pickup arms to be closed by the prize pickup drive unit; and a control unit for controlling the pickup arm drive unit to close only the selected pair of pickup arms. When the catcher in this prize game apparatus is lowered, the pair of pickup arms selected by the selector is closed to pick up a prize on a platform. Therefore, the number of prizes picked up can change according to the selection by the selector, thereby further stimulating the player's interest and eagerness for the game.
JP-A-2002-239209, for example, also introduces a prize game apparatus including: a grasping-power changing unit capable of automatically changing the power of pickup arms of a catcher that grasps a prize; and a drive control unit for driving the grasping-power changing unit to change the grasping power of the pickup arms. Since this prize game apparatus automatically changes the grasping power of the pickup arms by driving the grasping-power changing unit, variations can be created in a game by, for example, causing the grasping power of the pickup arms that have easily picked up a prize to be weakened during a game, thereby making the pickup arms drop the prize. Consequently, the player's interest in and eagerness for playing the game with the prize game apparatus will be further stimulated.
Moreover, JP-A-2005-34249, for example, introduces a prize game apparatus including: shaking members that are configured to be capable of shaking the pickup arms of a catcher, that apply a shaking force to the pickup arms, and make the pickup arms shake synchronously toward their respective ‘open’ position of the pickup arms; a moving unit for moving the shaking members; respective springs with one end locked by a pickup arm and their other end locked by a shaking member to apply a force to the pickup arms in their ‘closing’ direction; and a control member for controlling the moving unit so that the part of each spring locked with the relevant shaking member is kept separated from the part of each spring locked with the relevant pickup arm after moving away from the pickup arm, and the movement distance of the shaking member is able to be adjusted. This prize game apparatus can easily adjust the force to be applied to the pickup arms, thereby stimulating the player's interest and eagerness for the game.
However, in the prize game apparatus described in JP-B-7-102253, the distance between a pair of pickup arms and another adjacent pair of pickup arms is decided in advance. Therefore, the distance cannot be adjusted arbitrarily as desired.
In the prize game apparatuses described in JP-A-2002-239209 and JP-A-2005-34249, a catcher having a pair of pickup arms is provided. A catcher with plural pairs of pickup arms is not considered in these cases.